Half Way Home
Red Sox Go Up Two-Nothing Over the Cards in the 2004
World Series
By Nate
Storey
Curt Shilling sure earned his schillings in game two of
the World Series. Once again, he hobbled
out to the mound on a cold October night and pitched six very strong
innings. His finishing
numbers-- six innings, four hits, one run. Once again, he pitched brilliantly while
blood soaked through his sock. In the fifth, Schilling had to squat down
because he had so much discomfort. But
he kept on pitching despite the pain.
The unsung hero of the game was Jason Varitek. He nursed Schilling along the way through six
innings, and Varitek also delivered a key two-run
triple in the first. He helped Schilling
through his discomfort, coming out to the mound whenever Schilling was in
pain.
“You could see he was battling with his ankle,” Varitek said.
Now the Cardinals face an almost must-win game-three back
in
“We’re disappointed we didn’t get a game or more here;”
In the first two games, the Cardinals third, fourth and
fifth hitters have struggled. Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim
Edmonds are a combined 4-for-23 with no homers and one RBI. That combined with very mediocre pitching
from the Cardinals staff has dug them in a 2-0 hole. The Sox hitters have taken advantage of the
mediocre pitching served up by the
Just 12 days ago, many people thought Schilling was done
for the year. But he has battled the
discomfort and pitched two very strong games in a row.
“I think he’s getting a little better understanding of
his body, competing under the circumstances,”
The Cardinals had some chances but were 0-for-six with
runners in scoring position. The
pitcher, Matt Morris, looked like he was being affected by the cold. The wind chill was in the 30s. This was also the first time in his career
pitching on three days rest, and he couldn’t get his best pitch, the curveball
going for him.
Varitek hit a two-run triple in
the first after Morris walked Rameriz and Ortiz with
two outs. In the fourth, Mark Bellhorn hit a two-run double. And in the sixth, Orlando Cabrera belted a
ball off the Green Monster to give the Sox a 6-1 lead. The Cardinals added one in the eighth but it
was much too little, much too late.
Going home, the Cardinals 2 through 4 hitters need to
come alive if they want to stay in this series.
Having already started two of their best three pitchers with no success,
the Card’s backs are clearly up against the wall. The Red Birds don’t really have an ace on the
staff, so it is clear they are going to have to put up runs if they want to
beat the Sox.